Ocean Eyes
by thegirlwhowondered
Summary: Sometimes, she wonders what that brilliant blue hides. But it seems, like the ocean, the more Kou learns about Haruka, the deeper she gets sucked in. And honestly, she never thought that drowning could feel this...free. HaruGou. Still in Progress K for now. Rating subject to change.


**A/N**

**Hello! So guess who is way too into that Swimming Anime and is taking a crack at writing fanfic about it? This girl!**

**This will be a series; and yes, it is HaruGou. Because of reasons. Enjoy xx **

**Ps., If I mess up my Japanese titles please don't anyone be offended I only speak a tiny bit of Japanese, 'kay? -.^**

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Winter always seemed a special kind of magic to everyone in the Matsuoka family. Especially their youngest - a little girl with red hair, who was content to follow her big brother wherever he may go, and play whatever game he decided would be fun.

Her name was Gou - but if you called her that, either tears or a shouting match was likely to ensue. Being a girly-girl of sorts, Gou always preferred to be known by the more feminine nickname Kou; and so to keep the peace, this author will honour her wishes.

Unfortunately, not everyone will be so kind.

"Rin! Riiiiiin! Onii-chan, your teammate is being nasty again!"

Rin, the older Matsuoka sibling, turned from where he was making snow-figurines with his three closest friends, and looked at his sister. "I told you, Tatsu isn't my teammate, he's older than me. And how is he being cruel to you now?"

"He's calling me by..._that name_." Kou whispered the last two words as though saying them too loudly would be some kind of scandal.

Rin laughed. "You mean by your name? I know you like to be called Kou, but your name is Gou whether you want it to be or not."

"Rin-chan, who is this?" asked one of the boys Rin had been playing with. He had green eyes and an uncommonly kind smile. "This wouldn't be the little sister we've heard about, is it?"

Rin nodded. "This is G...uh, Kou. Sis, this is-"

But before Rin could finish, the coach called everyone participating in the swim club winter fundraiser over for their pizza lunch. Rin, the boy with the smile, and another blonde with them raced straight over towards the promise of food.

Kou sighed. She always had considered food to have magic powers when it came to attracting boys.

She waited for the initial crowd to die down before going for her own food. Kou never was too fond of battling crowds - but she began to question her decision when she realised that the table was too high for her to be able to reach the paper plates, let alone, the pizza.

But as it turned out, Kou wasn't the only one who liked to wait for the crowds to leave. Another hand appeared next to hers as it felt around the table; and pulled a plate off the pile, before handing it to her.

"Oh-th-thank you." Kou hugged the plate to her chest as she looked over at the dark-haired boy who had helped her. Hey, wasn't he the other friend Rin was with - the only one who didn't rush straight over at the word "pizza"?

He was a good deal taller than her and had striking blue eyes that didn't seem quite focused, like his thoughts were elsewhere. Like the rest of his team, he could barely see over the top of the (weirdly tall) tables; but seeing was seeing anyway.

"What flavour?" He asked eventually.

Kou didn't understand. "I beg your pardon?"

"What flavour pizza do you like?" he elucidated, without looking her way.

"Oh! Um. I like the ham and pineapple one, it's my favourite."

The boy picked up a couple of pieces of the ham and pineapple pizza and put it down on Kou's plate before selecting his own.

"Thank you," she said for the second time, staring at the boy with surprise on her face. "You're very kind, especially for a boy. I'm-"

"Matsuoka Kou. I heard." The boy finally decided he was done choosing pizza, and faced her properly for the first time. "Don't feel too bad about having a boyish name. I'm a boy, but my name is Haruka, and it hasn't killed me yet."

Kou couldn't help but grin. Not only had he helped her reach her pizza, but he called her Kou! That was, like, her top two requirements in a Prince Charming!

But before she could say anything more, Haruka had gone to rejoin his team for lunch. Rather than find a seat of her own, Kou wandered back to the snow-figurines Rin and his friends had made. She took a good look at the one Haruka had been standing next to - it was a snow sculpture of a dolphin.

And it was beautiful! Had he really made that?

So far, Kou had learned that Haruka was kind, artistic, and from what Rin said, an incredible swimmer...

And yet, something told her that she'd barely begun to discover the secrets hidden behind Haruka Nanase's ocean eyes.


End file.
